INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis will launch a literacy tutoring program at nine schools and a Boys & Girls Club, following a pilot program at two sites.
Circle City Readers was originally announced in Oct. 2022. It is funded with $1 million from the city’s American Rescue Plan allocation.
36 students participated in the eight-week pilot program, for a total of 20 lessons. Officials say they showed progress in their fluency, accuracy and number of words they could read.
The program will provide tutoring for 800 students at the following locations:
- Pleasant Run Elementary School (MSD Warren Township)
- Hawthorne Elementary School (MSD Warren Township)
- Sankofa School of Success at Arlington Woods School 99 (IPS)
- Global Prep Academy at Riverside School 44 (IPS)
- The PATH School at Stephen Foster School 67 (IPS)
- Liberty Grove at Elder Diggs School 42 (IPS)
- Tindley Genesis Academy
- Avondale Meadows Academy
- Vision Academy Riverside
- Jonathan Jennings School 109 (IPS) Boys and Girls Club
"Circle City Readers represents a critical step forward in our commitment to addressing the pressing issue of literacy in our community. The results we've seen so far from all IPS tutoring partners clearly demonstrate the positive impact of high-dosage literacy tutoring," Dr. Aleesia Johnson, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, said. "We are eager to expand this program for the 2023-24 school year, knowing that together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of our students and their families."
The initiative was brought to Indianapolis by RISE Indy, an education advocacy organization. RISE Indy is looking to recruit parents and community members to tutor the children.
The organization says they would like to employ 40 tutors by the time the program beings on Sept. 5.
For more information on Circle City Readers, click here.
